CATV networks supply and distribute high frequency “downstream” signals from a main signal distribution facility, known as a “headend,” to premises (e.g., homes and offices) of subscribers. The downstream signals can be provided to subscriber equipment, such as televisions, telephones, and computers. In addition, most CATV networks also receive “upstream” signals from subscriber equipment back to the headend of the CATV network. For example, a set top box can send an upstream signal including information for selecting programs for viewing on a television. Also, upstream and downstream signals are used by personal computers connected through the CATV infrastructure to the Internet. Further, voice over Internet protocol (VOIP) telephones use upstream and downstream signals to communicate telephone conversations.
To permit simultaneous communication of upstream and downstream CATV signals, and to permit interoperability of the subscriber equipment and the equipment associated with the CATV network infrastructure outside of subscriber premises, the downstream and upstream signals are confined to two different frequency bands. For example, in some CATV networks the downstream frequency band can be within the range of 54-1002 megahertz (MHz) and the upstream frequency band can be within the range of 5-42 MHz.
The downstream signals are delivered from the CATV network infrastructure to the subscriber premises at a CATV entry device, which is also commonly referred to as a network interface device, an entry adapter, a port adapter, or a drop amplifier. The entry device is a multi-port device that connects at an entry port to a CATV drop cable from the CATV network infrastructure and connects at a multiplicity of other input/output ports (hereinafter “ports”) to coaxial cables that extend throughout the subscriber premises to cable outlets. Each cable outlet is available to be connected to subscriber equipment such as television sets, computers, and telephone sets. The multiple ports of the entry device deliver the downstream signals to each cable outlet and conduct the upstream signals from the subscriber equipment through the entry device to the drop cable of the CATV infrastructure.
In addition to television sets, computers and telephones, a large number of other entertainment and multimedia devices are available for use in homes. For example, a digital video recorder (DVR) can be used to record broadcast programming, still photography and movies in a memory medium so that the content can be replayed on a display or television set at a later time selected by the user. As another example, video games are also played on personal computers or on gaming systems connected to television sets. Such video games may be those that interface real time through the CATV network's internet service provider. As a further example, signals from a receiver of satellite-broadcast signals may be distributed for viewing or listening throughout the home. These types of devices, which can also include conventional television sets, telephone sets, and other such devices connected to the Internet by the CATV network, are generically referred to as “multimedia devices.”
The desire to use multimedia devices at multiple different locations within the home or subscriber premises has led to the creation of MoCA. MoCA has developed specifications for products to create an in-home entertainment network for interconnecting multimedia devices. A MoCA in-home network uses the subscriber premise or in-home coaxial cable infrastructure originally established for distribution of CATV signals within the subscriber premises, principally because that coaxial cable infrastructure already exists in most homes and is capable of carrying much more information than is carried in the CATV frequency bands. A MoCA network is established by connecting MoCA-enabled or MoCA interface devices at the cable outlets in the rooms of the subscriber premises. These MoCA interface devices implement a MoCA communication protocol which encapsulates signals normally used by the multimedia devices within MoCA signal packets and then communicates the MoCA signal packets between other MoCA interface devices connected at other cable outlets. The receiving MoCA interface device removes the encapsulated multimedia signals from the MoCA signal packets, and delivers the multimedia signals to the connected display, computer, or other multimedia device from which the content is presented to the user.
Each MoCA-enabled device is capable of communicating with every other MoCA-enabled device in the subscriber premises to deliver the multimedia content. For example, the multimedia content that is available from one MoCA-enabled device can be displayed, played, or otherwise used on a different MoCA-enabled device at a different location within the subscriber premise, thereby avoiding physically relocating the originating multimedia device from one location to another within the subscriber premises. The communication of multimedia content over the MoCA network is beneficial because it more fully utilizes the multimedia devices present in modern homes.
In current entry devices for MOCA networks, the outputs on the downstream side communicate over the frequency range of 54 MHz to 1675 MHz. Accordingly, components of the MOCA entry device (e.g., filters and splitters) are configured to operate over this entire frequency range. However, doing so prevents the components from being optimized for any particular operating range, which reduces the performance (e.g., noise, power loss, and/or isolation) of the components while increasing their cost and/or complexity.